Spring Enrollment Reaches New Record

Sam Houston State University’s 2005 spring enrollment
is 13,617, a new spring semester record and an increase of
808 students, or 6.3 percent, over the 2004 spring enrollment.

The spring increases were similar to those reported last
fall, when a record fall enrollment of 14,371 was reached,
which
was almost 7 percent higher than the previous fall.

Spring figures show increases in all categories of students:
47 percent in beginning freshmen, 17 percent in returning/transfer
freshmen, 4 percent in sophomores, 7 percent in juniors,
5 percent in seniors, almost 2 percent in graduates, 56 percent
in post graduate, and 56 percent in doctoral.

While enrollment was up over 6 percent, semester credit hours
increased only 4.7 percent. This is an indication that SHSU
is following national trends of more students attending part-time
and taking fewer hours.

Graduation Changes Instituted For
May Commencement

This May, those who are planning to graduate will find
a different commencement schedule than students at SHSU are
used to.

For the first time in the university’s history, there
will be three commencement ceremonies instead of two, with
the first taking place on a Friday night.

The decision to go to three graduations was based on the
number of anticipated graduates and the size of the coliseum,
according
to Richard Eglsaer, associate vice president for Academic
Affairs.

“
As the number of graduates exceeds 550, the coliseum is not
large enough to handle the graduates and their guests,” Eglsaer
said. “In the past we had considered limiting the number
of guests per graduate but the students were opposed to this
idea; thus we decided to add a third graduation.”

College of Education students will graduate on May 13, at
6 p.m. in the Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum.

Saturday’s traditional commencement line-up will also
be changed, with ceremonies held for the College of Arts and
Sciences and the College of Humanities and Social Sciences
at 10 a.m. and for the College of Business Administration
and the College of Criminal Justice at 2 p.m.

At this point, only the spring graduation requires the Friday
ceremony, Eglsaer said.

In addition, other colleges will take turns at the Friday
night time slot in the future. The decision as to which college
will graduate on Friday will be
based on the number of anticipated graduates in each college, he said.

Club
Sports To ‘Open’ With Games, Demonstrations

The Department of Recreational Sports and the Club Sports
Council will showcase its club sports program with a weekend
filled with games, demonstrations and
tournaments beginning Feb. 11.

“
Club Sports Open” will kick off on Friday at 6 p.m. with the women’s
and men’s volleyball teams competing against one another in the Health
and Kinesiology Center. Afterward, the athletes and their parents, as well as
the Club Council and the club sport staff will head to Murski’s Ice House,
at 1229 Josey, for a social.

“
The idea is to have a weekend when most of the SHSU clubs compete at home to
build camaraderie and give the athletes a chance to see each team in action,” said
Amy Swingle, assistant director for club sports and special events. “We
want to show that there are large group of student athletes on campus that
are traveling across the state and country to represent SHSU in sports that
are more
non-traditional in nature.”

Saturday’s line-up will include a women’s lacrosse tournament beginning
at 9:30 a.m., rugby versus the University of Texas at 2 p.m., women’s soccer
versus Pursuit at 2 p.m., all on Pritchett Field; and baseball versus Texas A&M
at noon at Kate Barr Ross park, among many others.

The community will also be able to participate with the outdoor adventure club’s
rock climbing wall, which will be set up in the Pritchett Field parking lot,
or attending a martial arts self-defense clinic, from 9 a.m. until noon in
the HKC.

That evening, the club sports council will round out the festivities with a
second social at Huntsville Lanes, which will include the first 50 games free.

Swingle said a big reason for the weekend is to show how hard the club athletes
work and the sacrifices they make to play.

“
They don't get scholarships; they have very limited funding from the school;
they don't have access to trainers; the coaches are volunteers, if they have
a coach at all; they carpool and pile into hotel rooms to save money; all for
the love of their sport/activity,” she said. “There is a great
deal of respect for these students and what they go through for their sport.”

All events are free and open to the public. For a complete schedule of activities
for the weekend, visit the "Club Sports Open" link on the Recreational
Sports Web site, at www.shsu.edu/~rca_www/clubsports/ClubOpen.htm, or call
Amy Swingle at 936.294.1967.

Financial Aid Generosity Earns Spot On Channel
2 News

The SHSU Financial Aid Office was recognized on KPRC Channel
2 News for its participation in newscaster Linda Lorelle’s First Annual College
Preparatory Conference held Jan. 29 at the George R. Brown Convention Center
in Houston.

“
Most of the universities in the Houston area participated but they mentioned
Sam Houston (because) we gave out five $500 scholarships, one from each of the
enrollment management offices (which donated the money out of its funds),” said
Patty Mabry, financial aid director. “Other donors gave away big
screen TVs, but we were the only school that gave away scholarships.”

The conference was held for disadvantaged students and attracted approximately
3,000 students and parents. The financial aid department selected the
scholarship winners by drawing names at the end of the day, Mabry said.

“
When they (Channel 2) were interviewing her (Lorelle), they said these students
are here asking about financial aid with Sam Houston State University,” Mabry
said. “We were the only school they mentioned by name. We got good
coverage.”

The department was asked to attend the conference by LoanStar, a Stafford
loan servicing agency. Mabry said SHSU is one of LoanStar’s largest
lenders, and both the department and LoanStar have been invited back for
the second
annual conference.

FitBucks Program Picks Up For Spring

It is that time of year again, when the Department of Recreational
Sports challenges students, faculty and staff to stay active
through its FitBucks
program.

FitBucks, which kicked off on Friday (Feb. 4), is a program that rewards
participants with prizes such as a water bottle, stopwatch, lunch kit
or T-shirt, based
on the number of points earned.

To participate, faculty, staff and students keep up with, and send in,
a weekly log filled in with the time spent exercising.

Participants can earn points, or “FitBucks,” by doing several
different forms of physical activity, including fitness and sports activities,
as well
as household activities, such as cleaning, or outdoor activities, such
as gardening or raking leaves. Other activities may also be included,
pending approval by
Tina DeAses, assistant director of wellness programs.

Those who want to participate can begin at any time during the semester;
however, before participation begins, e-mail DeAses, at rca_cnh@shsu.edu,
to receive
a FitBucks ID number.

The program will run until April 28, with the last log due May 5.

To download a workout log, view approved activities, or for more information,
visit the FitBucks
page from the Recreations Sports Web site.

MISS, SQUAD
Give Lessons On Diversity At Conference

SQUAD and MISS members who presented at the Southern
Black Student Leadership Conference Jan. 20-23. Their
discussions were two of the most heavily attended during
the conference.

Students on a Quest for Unity and Diversity and several
students from the Office of Multicultural and International
Student Services
presented
diversity
workshops
at the Southern Black Student Leadership Conference, which was
held at Texas A&M University, from Jan. 20-23. These students were invited to present two
workshops entitled, “Are YOU Guilty” and “The
Brown Paper Bag Test.”

“
Are YOU Guilty?” and “The Brown Paper Bag Test” were
two of the most attended workshops at the conference, Roberts said.

In addition, Andonnia Maiben was one of 17 students selected to
participate in the Advanced Leadership Institute at SBSLC. The
institute consisted
of an intense
three-day leadership session for selected African-American students.

“
Are YOU Guilty?” is a highly interactive presentation for
outstanding student leaders who want to learn how to effectively
communicate
with people from different
cultures in difficult situations, according to Roberts.

“
The Brown Paper Bag Test” was a highly informative, yet entertaining
workshop that enabled participants to learn about racial discrimination
that exists in
the African-American culture, she said.

Addressing the concept of “colorism,” an unspoken concern
that plagues African-Americans, workshop participants were exposed
to video
clips of intercultural
discrimination, interacted in an experiment, learned the history
of colorism, and examined media images that perpetuate colorism.

These diversity workshops and others are available for SHSU and
Huntsville community organizations through the Office of MISS.
For more information,
call 936.294.3588.

SHSU
To Host Scout Conference

More than 250 Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts from throughout
Southeast Texas will be on the Sam Houston State University
campus Feb.
12 for Merit
Badge/Girl Scout Interest Project University.

The event organized by David Payne, provost and vice president
for academic affairs, has been held previously for Boy Scouts.

This year's Girl Scout segment, coordinated by Marilyn Butler,
lecturer in the College of Business Administration, will
be the first of its
kind in
this area
and possibly in the United States, Butler said.

The purpose of the event is twofold. From the Scouts' perspective,
it will give them an opportunity to earn merit badge/interest
project credits
quickly,
in
some cases two per day, under highly qualified instructors.

From the SHSU perspective, it will give the university an
opportunity to make a favorable impression on highly motivated
teenagers
in the prime recruiting
ages. Most of the participants will be in the 14-15-age range,
Butler said.

Instructors will be either SHSU faculty members, off-campus
specialists, or special interest students under supervision
of faculty members.

PC To Host Rodeo Day, Let
Students ‘Kat
Nap’

The SHSU Program Council will give the student body a taste
of the “country
culture” on Wednesday (Feb. 9) with PC Rodeo Day at
noon in the Lowman Student Center Mall Area.

Complete with “Western games” and free barbecue, the event will round
up with a “limited amount” of Houston Rodeo tickets,
which the group will be giving away, according to PC vice
president of public
relations
Jeff
Oribhabor.

On Thursday (Feb. 10), the PC will teach students the importance
of a good night’s
sleep with “Kat Nap,” beginning at 11:30 a.m.
in the LSC Mall Area.

The event, co-sponsored by the Department of Recreational
Sports’ Wellness
Program, will include a massage chair from the Counseling
Center, a self-sleep evaluation and a trained professional
who will
be on hand to answer questions,
as well as go over the evaluation with the participating
student.

“
Once the student has participating by filling out the sleep evaluation, they
will receive a ‘Kat Nap’ pillowcase to ensure a good night’s
sleep,” Oribhabor said.

Whitten
To Join Mix At Alumni Gathering

Recently-named Bearkat football head coach Todd Whitten
will be the special guest at the SHSU Alumni Association’s
SamWorks on Feb. 15 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Margarita's.

“
SamWorks provides a unique networking opportunity for local Sam Houston State
University graduates,” said Emily deMilliano, assistant director for Alumni
Relations. “The association encourages area alumni
to attend and help build the Bearkat Network.”

Margarita’s, formerly known as Casa Tomas, is located
at 3315 Interstate Highway 45.

For more information, call the Alumni Association office
at 936.294.1841.

Counseling Faculty, Students Present At Conference

SHSU was represented by both educational leadership and
counseling department faculty and doctoral students during
the Texas
Association for Marriage
and Family Therapy’s annual conference held Jan. 26-29
in Dallas.

Judy DeTrude, associate professor and counseling program
director, and Mary Nichter, assistant professor of counseling,
gave presentations
on
ethical
issues and family
violence.

Doctoral students presenting at this conference included
Kate Walker, who discussed family violence; Roxy Riefkohl
and James
Flowers,
who discussed the problems
of school children in the home; and Glenn Doig, who discuused
substance abuse
and the family.